Jerry Dean Fleming

Jerry Fleming, loved by countless friends and family, left this earth on October 13, 2017. He was a joyful, happy and enthusiastic lover of life, devoted to his family, and will always be remembered for his sense of humor, his spontaneous laugh, and his kindness to so many. He is survived by his wife, Rike Gaertner Fleming, son Taylor and daughter Sydney, along with his parents, Linda and Jimmy Fleming, and his brother Jeff Fleming and family of Seattle. A native of Spokane, Jerry was born on April 19, 1971. He attended Shadle Park High School, where he was an outstanding athlete, and named to the Spokane Area All-Star Baseball team. He is remembered as the ultimate team player, supporting and encouraging his fellow team members with his enthusiasm and pure joy in the game. Jerry received his B.A. in Recreation Management from Eastern Washington University in 1994. During college, he continued volunteer coaching for Spokane area high schoolers in the American Legion Baseball League. He also found time for fundraising activities for the Spokane Habitat for Humanity. He dedicated over 24 years working for the Washington State Criminal Justice System, where he initiated an extensive program of recreational activities for inmates, developing competitive sports leagues, and integrating many programs previously unavailable in the state prison system. Following a lifelong goal, Jerry completed his studies in Real Estate Brokerage in 2017, successfully passing the state licensing examinations for Residential Broker. He joined Keller Williams Realty this year, and on September 1 was invited to join the team of Navigators Northwest, an exclusive group of brokers within the company. A memorial service to celebrate Jerry’s life will be held on Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Shadle Park High School auditorium (4327 N. Ash in Spokane). In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jerry’s name to the Spokane American Legion Baseball League, 1221 N. Howard, Spokane WA 99201. The family asks everyone who knew Jerry to please enjoy a Bud Light in his memory. He would have loved that.